NEW YORK, Nov. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Climate Reality Project today launches24 Hours of Reality: The Dirty Weather Reportat 8 p.m. EST. Over the course of 24 hours, millions of people will participate in an ongoing conversation broadcast live online, which will include noted climate scientists, elected leaders, business leaders, activists, celebrities, and Climate Reality Project Founder and Chairman and former Vice President Al Gore.

In the wake of the historic devastation from Superstorm Sandy and other recent incidents of extreme weather worldwide, combined with a hard-fought U.S. presidential campaign in which climate change was rarely mentioned, the call to insert climate change prominently into the national and global discourse has gained newfound urgency.

"2012 was an extraordinary year for extreme weather events. This year has seen consistent world-wide record-breaking temperatures, historic droughts in the Midwest, and of course Superstorm Sandy, which alone affected millions of people and caused an estimated $50 billion in damages, though that number has been revised upwards," said Chairman Gore. "And this was only one year after Hurricane Irene closed down parts of lower Manhattan and devastated areas of the Northeast, particularly Vermont. In addition, the North Polar Ice Cap reached a record-low summer ice cover – less than half of what existed just 30 years ago. It becomes more and more obvious every day that Dirty Energy is changing our climate and causing Dirty Weather. We are already paying the price for inaction, and that must change before we cause much worse damage."

The first annual 24 Hours of Reality live broadcast in 2011 received more than 8 million online views, 90 million Twitter impressions, and earned a Cannes Silver Lion at the 59th International Festival of Creativity. This year, 24 Hours of Reality will again circle the globe, showcasing across 24 time zones how Dirty Energy pollution from coal, oil, and gas leads to Dirty Weather like extreme storms, floods, heat waves, and severe drought.

"We are excited about the variety and expertise of the guests and partner organizations that have come together for 24 Hours of Reality: The Dirty Weather Report to share their knowledge of climate change and innovative solutions," said Maggie L. Fox, President and CEO of The Climate Reality Project. "24 Hours of Reality is about connecting the dots between climate change and extreme weather, and about bringing together partners from all walks of life together to inspire action."

The event will draw upon the expertise of more than 100 prominent experts and guests from around the world who have convened to provide unique insights from scientific, business, governmental, environmental, and youth perspectives.

Major partners for the event include Ustream, which will again broadcast 24 Hours of Reality live online. GOOD (good.is) is the official online action and content partner. Mashable (mashable.com) and TakePart.org are online partners. This program is made possible in part through the generous support of the Rockefeller Foundation, the Skoll Global Threats Fund, Samuel Freeman Charitable Trust. For a complete schedule of the event, please visit climaterealityproject.org.

About The Climate Reality ProjectThe Climate Reality Project is one of the world's leading organizations dedicated to mobilizing action around climate change. With a global movement more than 2 million strong and a grassroots network of trained Climate Leaders, we are spreading the truth and unleashing the cultural momentum to solve the climate crisis. Former Vice President and Nobel Laureate Al Gore is the Founder and Chairman of The Climate Reality Project. For more information, visit www.climaterealityproject.org or follow us on Twitter at @ClimateReality.